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Good morning from Augusta,
I am sure that it is no surprise to anyone, but the Maine Legislature doesn’t seem to have learned much from the last election and has resorted to some good old fashioned grade school bickering and drama. On Thursday, for the third time in the last three legislative sessions, Democrats pushed forward with passing a two-year, $11.3 billion majority budget, effectively removing Republicans from debate. The House approved the bill with a 76-66 vote, and the Senate followed with an 18-17 vote, largely along party lines. After continuously running into Republican opposition, the Democrats and both the House and Senate crafted a “baseline” budget that funds essential services and goes into effect 90 days after March 20, 2025, as a result of the Legislature adjourning their session. This of course is not the end of the story as the Governor called the Legislature back into a special session immediately following adjournment on Thursday night.
This past week, the streak of bad legislation continued to pile up in the Labor Committee. One of the major issues we opposed this past week, was LD 599, “An Act to Codify the Federal Salary Threshold for Overtime Pay”. This would codify the federal overtime salary threshold for a salaried employee at $58,656 per year. As you might recall, the Biden Administration attempted to put this into effect last year, but a federal court filed an injunction and did not allow it to happen. Thus, if LD 599 moved forward, it would make Maine an outlier and out of compliance with the current federal standard, which is actually $35,568.
This bill has reared its ugly head for the 3rd consecutive session, and we are hopeful it will be voted ought not to pass during the work session next week. However, given the fact that the Committee has a Democratic majority, it will likely pass with a slim majority and head to the Senate floor.
The PLC signed onto a coalition letter in opposition to LD 599. The letter included 29 organizations standing against this legislation.
Another issue we are following closely is LD 797, “An Act to Amend the Laws Regarding Work Search Efforts for Unemployment Benefits and to Eliminate Benefits for Temporary Unemployment”, sponsored by Senator Trey Stewart (R-Presque Isle). This bill removes the work search waiver and benefits for workers who are temporarily unemployed with a recall date.
We had asked the sponsor to amend this bill and remove the language regarding work search, since it put this industry in jeopardy and removes a key component of the current law we worked hard to put into effect in 2018. On the day of the hearing, we spoke in opposition to the bill as it was presented without the amendment we had requested from the sponsor. LD 797 is likely to be voted with a majority ought not to pass at the work session, but we needed to make sure our opinion was heard due to the importance of the waiver to contractors in Maine.
Next week, we will show our support for wood heat in the State and Local Government Committee and attend multiple work sessions scheduled in the Labor and Energy, Utilities and Technology Committees. More information on the specific bills can be found below.
You can also follow along this session with our most recent bill tracker that can be found here.
If there are issues affecting your businesses, big or small, we want to hear about them.
Hope you have a great weekend,
Dana
If you are interested in testifying on any piece of legislation no matter the subject, please reach out to Ben Grant and he would be happy to assist you. He can be reached on his cell at 207-598-6223 or his email at ben@plcloggers.org. Senators and Representatives like to hear from the people in their districts as it helps provide knowledge to shape policy decisions.
Last Week’s Legislative Activity – March 17 – March 21, 2025
Tuesday, March 18th
LD 402, ”An Act to Move the Natural Areas Program from the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry to the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and to Amend the Law Governing Administration of the Bureau of Resource Management Within the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife”, Rep. Jim Dill (D-Old Town) Public Hearing – ACF Committee (Support)
This bill would move the Maine Natural Areas Program (MNAP), which is currently administered by the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, to the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (IFW). The PLC supports this assignment of MNAP to IFW.
The PLC provided testimony in support of LD 402. Our testimony can be found here.
LD 750, “Resolve, Regarding Legislative Review of Portions of Chapter 27: Standards for Timber Harvesting and Timber Harvesting Related Activities Within Unorganized and Deorganized Areas of the State, a Major Substantive Rule of the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, Bureau of Forestry”, (Rep. Bill Pluecker (I-Warren) Work Session – ACF Committee (Support)
LD 750 is a direct result of the rule-making process that took place in the fall of 2024 regarding Chapter 27. Rulemaking was triggered by statute when a majority of municipalities adopted statewide standards in 2024. Statewide standards are important to the timber harvesting community because they provide consistency of rules for timber harvesting in a shoreland zone from municipality to municipality.
The updated rule establishes a state-wide shoreland protection standard for timber harvesting in the organized and deorganized territories. We believe this is a positive change that will remove inconsistencies when harvesting within a shoreland zone. Our testimony can be found here. LD 750, was voted unanimously ought to pass.
Wednesday, March 19th
LD 599, “An Act to Codify the Federal Salary Threshold for Overtime Pay”, (Sen. Mike Tipping (D-Penobscot) Public Hearing – Labor Committee (Oppose)
This bill codifies the federal paid overtime salary threshold for a salaried employee by adding the salary level of $58,656 per year. The federal standard must be followed in Maine but codifying it ties the state’s hands if the federal threshold changes in the future. There is no need for this legislation.
The PLC signed onto a coalition letter in opposition to LD 599. The letter had more than 25 organizations against this legislation.
LD 797, “An Act to Amend the Laws Regarding Work Search Efforts for Unemployment Benefits and to Eliminate Benefits for Temporary Unemployment”, (Sen. Trey Stewart (R-Aroostook) Public Hearing – Labor Committee (Oppose)
More information on this bill above.
Thursday, March 20th
LD 371, “An Act to Expand Hydroelectric Development by Removing the 100-megawatt Cap”, (Sen. Joe Martin (R-Oxford), Public Hearing – Energy, Utilities, and Technology Committee (Oppose)
This bill provides that sources of electrical generation relying on hydroelectric generators are not subject to a limit of 100 megawatts of power production capacity. The bill also amends the law governing the criteria that must be met for the Department of Environmental Protection to approve a hydropower project. The bill requires the department to make a decision on a complete application for a project within six months of the date the complete application is received. It also clarifies that an approved hydropower project may operate at its full nameplate capacity subject to the requirements of applicable laws and rules. The PLC is opposed to this change because it puts biomass at a disadvantage compared to hydroelectric generation.
The PLC testified in opposition to LD 371. Our testimony can be found here.
LD 638, “An Act to Create Equal Opportunity Access to Clean Energy by Removing the 100-megawatt Limit on Clean Energy Sources,” (Rep. Donnie Ardell (R-Monticello), Public Hearing – Energy, Utilities, and Technology Committee (Oppose)
This bill removes the 100-megawatt maximum capacity limit for a source of electrical generation to qualify as a renewable resource for purposes of meeting the State's renewable resource portfolio requirement. The PLC opposes this change because it will only serve to benefit hydroelectric generation and will not benefit biomass.
The PLC testified in opposition to LD 638. Our testimony can be found here.
Next Week’s Legislative Activity – March 24 – March 28, 2025
Monday, March 24th
LD 556, “An Act to Preserve Heating and Energy Choice by Prohibiting a Municipality from Prohibiting a Particular Energy System or Energy Distributor”, (Sen. Matt Harrington (R-York) Public Hearing – State and Local Government Committee (Support)
This bill prohibits municipalities from prohibiting an individual or entity from using a heating or energy system for that individual's or entity's own heating or energy needs, including the heating or energy needs of a motor vehicle, or engaging the services of a person or energy distributor of that individual's or entity's choice unless the prohibition is otherwise authorized by statute.
Wednesday, March 27th
LD 599, “An Act to Codify the Federal Salary Threshold for Overtime Pay”, (Sen. Mike Tipping (D-Penobscot) Work Session– Labor Committee (Oppose)
More information on this bill above.
The PLC signed onto a coalition letter in opposition to LD 599. The letter had over 25 organizations against this legislation.
LD 797, “An Act to Amend the Laws Regarding Work Search Efforts for Unemployment Benefits and to Eliminate Benefits for Temporary Unemployment”, Sen. Trey Stewart (R-Aroostook) Work Session – Labor Committee (Oppose)
More information on this bill above.
Thursday, March 27th
LD 402, ”An Act to Move the Natural Areas Program from the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry to the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and to Amend the Law Governing Administration of the Bureau of Resource Management Within the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife”, Rep. Jim Dill (D-Old Town) Work Session – ACF Committee (Support)
More information on this bill above.
The PLC provided testimony in support of LD 402. Our testimony can be found here.
LD 371, “An Act to Expand Hydroelectric Development by Removing the 100-megawatt Cap”, (Sen. Joe Martin (R-Oxford), Work Session – Energy, Utilities, and Technology Committee (Oppose)
More information on this bill above.
The PLC testified in opposition to LD 371. Our testimony can be found here.
LD 638, “An Act to Create Equal Opportunity Access to Clean Energy by Removing the 100-megawatt Limit on Clean Energy Sources,” (Rep. Donnie Ardell (R-Monticello), Work Session – Energy, Utilities, and Technology Committee (Oppose)
More information on this bill above.
The PLC testified in opposition to LD 638. Our testimony can be found here.